Julius Malema Sentenced to Five Years for Illegal Gun Use

Thu Apr 16 2026 11:25:09 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

South Africa's opposition leader Julius Malema faces a five-year prison sentence after being convicted of illegal firearm possession and discharge in public events, with plans to appeal.

Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters in South Africa, has been sentenced to five years in prison for illegal possession and firing of a gun in public. Malema showed little emotion during the court proceedings, and his legal team plans to appeal the decision as his conviction may disqualify him from parliamentary duties. The ruling follows a 2018 incident in which he discharged a semi-automatic rifle at a party event, endangering public safety.

South African opposition politician Julius Malema has been sentenced to at least five years in prison after being found guilty of the illegal possession of a gun and firing it in public. Malema's lawyer stated he would appeal the decision to prevent the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters and member of parliament from being taken away to prison.

Standing in court in a dark suit and red tie, Malema showed little emotion as the magistrate read out the sentence. Last year, he was convicted of five offences, including the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging it in a public space, and reckless endangerment.

The charges stemmed from an incident in 2018 when a video emerged showing Malema using a semi-automatic rifle to fire several shots into the air during his party's fifth anniversary celebrations held in the Eastern Cape province. Receiving a sentence of more than one year disqualifies him from being an MP, though this will not come into effect until his appeals have been exhausted.

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